India overwhelm New Zealand to claim third T20 World Cup title

There was only ever going to be one ending. India, having taken a few games to fully locate themselves, produced three 250-plus scores in their last four, playing a brand of cricket so complete and so suffocating. On the grandest stage, in front of 86,824 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Abhishek Sharma (52 off 21), Sanju Samson (89 off 46) and Ishan Kishan (54 off 25) helped India plunder 255. New Zealand, fine and worthy finalists, barely laid a glove on that total as India became the first side to lift three men's T20 World Cups and the first to defend the title, winning by 96 runs.

The setting of this win had its own narrative. The final in Ahmedabad on November 19, 2023 was constantly invoked in the build-up. When Mitchell Santner won the toss and asked India to bat, there was a nod to the past. Then Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson walked out, and the past became irrelevant. This opening partnership, forged after Barbados 2024 and the retirements that followed, was the engine of this India side. Their 98-run stand in just 7.1 overs effectively put one hand on India's third ICC triumph in three years.

There was no premonition of what was to come after India managed 12 in the first two overs. The floodgates opened through Jacob Duffy. Abhishek, showing early restraint, found Duffy's pace to his liking and cleared the infield straight down the ground twice. Samson added one of his own.

What followed was a Powerplay that consumed New Zealand. Santner turned to multiple bowlers, but each was profligate. Lockie Ferguson went for 24, Matt Henry gave away 21. It was a cruel flashback to the bilateral series before this World Cup. The final over of the Powerplay belonged to Abhishek, who walked across his stumps and hoicked Duffy over legside. The world's No. 1 T20I batter reached an 18-ball half-century—the fastest of the tournament—in the final. In a match-losing Powerplay, New Zealand conceded 92 runs and bowled eight wides.

The post-Powerplay phase began tidily as Santner's over cost just six before Rachin Ravindra removed Abhishek for a 21-ball 52. But Ishan Kishan arrived with no interest in a dip, announcing himself with a four off Ravindra. By the 10th over, India had 127.

Samson, relatively subdued by his standards, still found a 33-ball half-century, joining Shahid Afridi and Virat Kohli as players with fifties in both the semi-final and final of a T20 World Cup. He celebrated by tearing into Ferguson for two sixes and a four, then launching Ravindra for three consecutive sixes. Kishan raced to a 23-ball fifty as India passed 200 with five overs still to go.

Those ambitions were briefly arrested by James Neesham, who struck three times in the 16th over to remove Samson and Kishan. Suryakumar Yadav scooped his first ball to Ravindra. India went 16 balls without a boundary as Hardik Pandya struggled. When Pandya fell for 18, the door was ajar. Then Shivam Dube walked in and closed it with a thud. Three fours and two sixes off Neesham's final over powered India to 255.

New Zealand's best hopes lay on their openers producing an encore of their semi-final. Finn Allen was dropped by Dube in the first over, and a 21-run second over from Pandya set foundations. That was their peak. Axar Patel, bowling the third over, won his match-up against Allen, having him caught at long-on. Then, for a second game in a row, Jasprit Bumrah struck with his first delivery—a slower ball—that Ravindra picked to Kishan at deep backward square leg. Before the Powerplay ended, Axar cleaned up Glenn Phillips.

Tim Seifert brought New Zealand some joy, taking down Varun Chakaravarthy for 16 to complete a 23-ball fifty. Chakaravarthy had him next over with Kishan taking another fine catch. Before that, Hardik Pandya had Mark Chapman dragging on. At 72 for 5, the match was done. Bumrah (4 for 15) conjured more off-cutter magic, cleaning up Neesham and Henry off successive deliveries and then dislodging Santner's stumps.

Brief Scores: India 255/5 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 89, Ishan Kishan 54, Abhishek Sharma 52; James Neesham 3-46) beat New Zealand (Tim Seifert 52; Jasprit Bumrah 4-15) by 96 runs.